ROURKELA: After confirmation of bird flu virus in backyard poultry birds (domestic chickens and ducks), culling of household poultry fowls began on Sunday at Kacharu village of Kuanrmunda block, about 15 km from here. As many as 633 poultry birds and chicks were culled till Sunday afternoon at Kacharu by the culling teams, accompanied by the police. Chief District Veterinary Officer (CDVO) Dr DK Patnaik said the culling exercise would continue till all the 1,125 backyard poultry birds, identified in 1 km radius of the infected zone, get removed.
The decision to cull the birds was taken by the district administration after a sample of a poultry bird of Kacharu examined by National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, tested positive for avian influenza on Friday. An adult duck, 216 female poultry birds, 416 chicks and 141 eggs were culled, Dr Patnaik said, adding that the carcasses were scientifically buried at a safe isolated location with application of disinfectants.
Five culling teams, one hygiene and sanitation team, one supervision team and adequate policemen were pressed into service for the culling process, he added. According to reports, villagers of Jhariatola and Chataktola hamlets of Kacharu protested non-culling of poultry birds in a commercial farm at Kuanrmunda. However, they relented after they were explained that the farm is located beyond the infected zone and as a continuous process, it has been taking necessary sanitary precautions.
Dr Patnaik said surveillance is continuing in 10 km of the infected zone at Kacharu and if required, culling exercise would be extended to other areas. Test reports of blood serum, cloacal and swab samples of poultry birds collected at Rourkela and those of migratory birds at Pitamahal dam are yet to be received from NIHSAD. At Rourkela, the bird flu is confined to crows.